Combined police-call, fire-alarm, and watchman&#39;s box.



PATENTEIDIMAR. 31, 1908.

J. G. NOLEN. counmnn POLIOE CALL, FIRE ALARM, AND WATOHMANS BOX.

APPLICATION 111.21 HA3. 3. 1904. v

' 6 sums-SHEET 1;

No. 883,665. I

PATBNTBD MAR. a1, 1908. J. a. NOLEN. COMBINED POLICE CALL, FIRE, ALARM, AND WATGHMANS'BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 1904 a sinn'ra-snn'r 2.

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- J. G. NOLEN.

COMBINED POLICE cALL, FIRE ALARM, AND WATGHMANS Box.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.- 3. 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lllj iy Ln 1: j l "W1 E 8 7 I 1 1 0 a 76 1 61 Q30 U 27? l ll 5 A! I? W WWW PATBNTEDMAE a1, 1908.

, J. a. NOLEN. COMBINED POLICE CALL; FIRE ALARM. AND WATGHMAN'S Box.

6 SHEEN-SHEET 4 APPLICATION FILED MAB. 3' 1904.

.L/IVE PATENTED MAR. a1; 1908.

J. G. NOLEN. GOMBINEDPOLIGE CALL FIRE ALARM, AND WA TGHMANS BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. H04.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

CJFzmes UNITED scrnzrns rag-Eur OFFICE.

canes e. NOLEN, orcnrcaso, rLLINois, AssieNon or oNE-HALr'ro FRANK B. 000K, or

CHICAGO, ILLrNoIs.

crim nal) POLICE-GALL, man-A A M, AND wa rcmmns ox.

no.-'sse,ees.

Specification of-LetterisPatent.v Patented March 31, 1908.

' Application a su es, 1904, ser al No. 19am.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat l, J AMES G. NoLE'N,a citi mount the United States of America, and

resident'of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois,

-' have invented a certain new and useful Ima provement in a Combined Police Call, Fire Alarm, and Watchmans Box, of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates a manually operated signal transmitting box, capable of use asa police call-box, as a fire-alarm box,

and also as a watchmans' box.

In a box characterized by my invention, a rotatable knob covered and held positively in its normal position by a glass plate is em nloyed as an element in the means for maintaining the clockwork ofthe box in a normally Wound-up condition, and as the means whereby, when the glass is broken, said clockwork is first operated to transmit a police call-signal, and whereby, after such signal has been sent in, said knobmay then be rotated for the purpose of transmitting a characterized by my invention, the clockwork, is although normally wound up, and

although employed for transmitting both police, call and lire alarm signals in the manner above stated, alwaysin readiness to be further slightly wound. u whereby the box,

when in its norinal con 1tion, may be operated to send in a watchmans signal without altering its condition as far as it IS capable of sending in police, call and fire alarm signals is concerned. In other words, in a box embodylng thepr1nc1ples of my invention,

:the mechanism is norirlally such as to auto.

matically send in a police call-signal when the glass at'the front of the box is broken;

and after this, the knob may then be rotated to again release the clockwork and effect the transmission of a fire alarm-signal; and at any and all times before the transmission of such signals, the box may be operated by a Watchman, in the same manner that an ordinary. call-box may be operated or pulled as it is called, to transmit the watchmans signal .and after a watchman has thus sent in his signal, it 18 not necessary for him to rewind or do anything whatever to the box/as the transmission of a watchmans signal only necessitates a very slight running down of theclockwork, the mechanism of the box being simply returned automatically p to its Furthermore, in a box normal position upon completion of a watchmans signal.

tion will, however, hereinafter more fully appear." v

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a frontelevat on of a combined police-call,

fire alarm. and watchmans'box, embodying the principles 'offim invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on ine 22 in Fig. 4, showing the clockwork in front elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section'on line 3-3 in Fig. .4.

Fig. 4 is a verticalsection on line 4-4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 55,- in Fig, 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6 -6 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a vertical section" on line 7+7 in Fig. 4/ .Fig. 8 is The-nature and advantages of myinvenan enlarged perspective'of one of the arms of the locking lever, showing also a portion of the make-and-break wheel engaged by the .upper end of said arms, and showing also the lower end of the lever for automaticallydisengagingthedocking device to release the clockwork. should the spring of the clockwork break. Fig-9 is an enlarged perspective of the rotary knob andits inte ral stem for-causing the locking device to release the normally wound-u clockwork. Fig. 10 is a diagram of the-circuit connections of the diflerent parts of the box, and showing also the line connection-between the-box-and signal-receiving apparatus at the central sta tion.

The casing Aiof the box may be of any suitable character, but lprefe'rably provide it with a iror'it-wall having an opening a for the squared spring-shaft a of the clockwork,

an up )er opening a for the-shutter or device for in icat-ing whether or not the box is in its normal condition, and a somewhat larger opening a. The normally wound up clockwork of the boxn'iay also be of any suitable known or a proved construction, comprising the usua gear wheels, a, theIspring 01", and the usual pendulum or escapernent device of. This normally wound up clockwork is mounted in the usual manner upon 'the backwall of-the box, and. is adapted to be I wound. up in the usual and well known manner by applying a keyor small'crankfto the s uared outer end. of thespring-shaft a T e make-and-br'eak devices, whereby 'the" down of the clockworkisaccorn 'panied y the transmission of a signal or sigrunnin approved construction;

'with a longitudinally extendin nals, may also be of any suitable known or For example, the said rriztke-and-break devices may include one or more toothed or notched wheels. a, ada ted to engage one or more spring fingers a t 1e fingers and toothed wheels being included in the line circuit in the usual well understood manner. When wound up, the clockwork is maintained in such condition by a locking lever a, said lever having a horizontally disposed arm a, and also a verticall disposed arm a; The arm a nor mal y engages the lower end of the pendulum or escapement device a, while the upper end of the arm a normally engages a notch a in a laterally extending flange a on one of the make-and break wheels ai With the locking lever in such position, it is obvious that the clockwork is maintained in its normally wound up condition until released by movement of said lever. i

' Itwill be seen that the inner side of the opening a is covered by a glass plate a. T

is plate practically constitutes the means or element for maintaining the clockwork in the desired normally wound up condition. This is for the reason that the glass late acts as a stop or abutment against whic the rotary knob a constantly ears when the box is in its normal condition. The said knobis provided With a cylindric stem a), as shown more clearly in Fig. 9, said stem being provided witha bore 0.", and having also a coufple of depressions a and a on its upper sur ace, the two depressions being separated by an elevation a sloping gradually down to the depression a. Also, as will be observed, the said stem is preferably provided ridge a and with laterally extending an oppositely arranged pins e JWhen mounted in place on the spindlea, which latter is rigidly mounted and arranged to project forward from the rear wall of the box, and which fits the bore a" of the stein a, the said knob and its stem are subject to the pressure of the spring a. The said s ring is interposed, it will be seen, between t 1e end of a s indle a and the end of the bore a";,and wit this arrangement, the glass plate a normally sustains the tensiori' or spring pressure-to which the said knob and its stem are normally subjected. As illustrated, thecylindric stem a is adapted to slide in the guide a, extend: in'g across the interior of the box. With respect to the key or ridge a2", the said bar or guide is preferably rovided with small notches a and a. T is bar or guide a acts as a stop against which the ins a engage for the movement 0 islimited by a small pin a), mounted in a yoke-like bar a, and arrangedin position, to e engaged by the upper pin a. Normally,

contact wheelsa.

purpose of limiting t 1e outward I the knob and its stem. The rotation of the knob in a clockwise direction the arm e f of the locking lever rests in the depression a. As a matter of further inrrovement, it will beseen that the arm a as its upper end adapted to engage or ride upon the cylindric outer surface of the flange a, during the rotation of the make-andbreakcontact devices. flange 0, and the lever arm a constitute an arrangement for maintaining the arm a, out of engagement with the lower end-portion a ofthe pendulum or escapement device during the running down of the clockwork, also the arm a, by engaging a-notch in the flange on the toothed or contact-wheel, serves to assist the, arm a in looking the clockwork in its normally wound-up condition. Still another matter of improvement con sists in the provision of means whereby a signal will be transmitted when the spring of the clockwork breaks, it being observed that this spring is preferably composed ofa plu-- rality of sections. Thus, should one section" of the spring break, a signal will be transmitted and the necessary repairs made at once. This is preferably accomplished by providing a lever a pivoted at 03. The upper end of this lever is provided with a rearwardly ex- In this way, the

tending pin or projection a which rests just 7 above the sectional spring. The lower end (1 of said lever is adapted to normally engage the flat portion a secured to the arm effect the'transmission of a signal.

Suppose, now, that some one wishes to send in a police call. In such case, all that is necessary is to break the glass a ,thereby allowing the knob and its stem (116 to move 'outwardlyunder the pressure of thespring This endwise or longitudinal movement art of the stem 0, causes the incline a. on the per- 0, on t e upper surface of thestem to rais the arm a, thereby disengaging this arm fromthe escapement device, and also dis-.

engaging the arm a from the notch a in the flange onone of the makeand-break or The flange a then, of course, prevents the locking arm a, from again engaging the escapement device'until the upper end of the arm a again enters .the notch (1. In this way, one round. as it is called, is sent in as a olice-call signal, and the clockwork is.- then ocked'against further operation. After thus sending in a policg call, should it bed'esirable to transmit a fire alarm-signaL-the knob 0, is then rotated in a clockwise direction. It will beaseen that at this time e am am i bs ing in the a es-":-

i clockwork.

' by applying a tool to the spring-shaft a, may, even when the box is in its normal consion and that consequently the rotation of the knob onits stem permits the 'rear end portion of the said stem to act as a cam to raise the armc The clockwork being thus 4 again released, another round is transmitted over the line-circuit, this second round being of such character that it will instantly be recognized as a fire alarm signal.- When the knob and it's stem move forward w underthe pressure of the spring a, it will be seen that the key or. ridge a engages in the notch (4 and thereby makes it impossible to rotate the stemuntil after the pin a has been l'iroughtinto engagement with the inner surface: of the bar 0 5 Then the knob and its stein can be rotated until 'the-ulpper pin a strikes the stop a. After this t e knob and its stem can. be restored to their original positions by thrusting the stem backward, the

key or ridge 0, passing through .the notch a After this, the knob and its stem can be r0- tated to the left, so as to permit the ridge ,20

to again engage the note of glass can then be adjusted. in position, and

the box thusrestored and maintained in its normal condition.

While the box is in its normal condition,

and while it is thus in readiness to be employed as a means for turning in either a "oli'ce-call or a fire-alarm, or both, it may a so be employed asa means for turnin watchmans signal. This is possible for the reason that even when the mechanism is set for fire, the spring can still be given aslight 5 additional winding, so asto cause the arm a to enga e the upper end of the arm a. This causes t e two arms of the locking lever a to become disengaged from the escapement device, and the notch 0, thereby releasing the In other words, the watchman,

dition, subject the spring to, a still further "and extreme winding action, and in so doing 4 trip the locking lever. The clockwork then returns to its normal condition, but in. so doing causes the make-and-break devices to transmit a single-round, the upperend of the arm a, dropping into the notch a at the 5 J endof such round and the mechanism of the box is thenexactly in the same condition as it was before the watchman sent in his signal. N orinally, then, the shutteror target a is visible at the opening a indicating that the box is set for fire. When. thewatchman subjects the. clockwork to a further winding action to transmit-asignal, the said shutter or target swings to the right, but reappears at the opening-a -upon 'thecompletion of the,

1 "roun'd" that is employed as the watchman s signal. Llhus it Will be seen that with my improved construction and arrangement of parts, the box is capable of use in various Ways, and in each case Without interfering with. itsother functions. ".It will be readily e Anew plate understood that the makeand-'break devices can be of any suitable character, and

can be included in'line circuits of any suit able or desired nature, and that thc"1nake';

and-break devices can be of such character as to transmit. signals, in various different ways and for various purposes.

circuitmg the make-and-break device'for a 3 portion of a complete rotation of the makeand-break wheels, thus permitting one part of the teeth toeffect a make-and-break ac' tion in the circuit during said rotation.

For example, an insulated contact-strip ai can be provided and arranged in such position that it is engaged by the upper end portion a of the arm a during the transmission of the watchmans .signal.- 'The said contact a is connected with the insulated binding post 1, with which latter'the outer s ring. 2 is also connected (see Fig. 10). T e inner the non-insulated binding-post 5, are con-- nected, as shown, with the line conductors. The spring 3, of the two springs'indicated generally by 0, is preferably provided with a portion '6, adapted to be pressedinto contact with the non-lnsulated contact-pin 7 by the pin 8, on the spring-shaft when the clock-- jwork runs completely down.

@ Referring to F ig, 10, it will be seen that the contact. 7, the inner contact-wheel 9, the outer contact-wheel 10, and the swingin arm (1, are all eleetricall connected throng the casing of the box with-the binding-post 5. At the central station the signal-receiving" apparatus may be of any suitable known or approved character. Preferably, however,

spring 3 is conn'ectedwiththe insulated bindand with respect to the grounded spring 3 of the box, the said signal-receiving ap aratus comprises a air of recorders, 11 an '12, of

the usual {LIN well known character, connected i1 .,the line at each side of the batte l3.

It will be seen that the middle point o this 1 battery is grounded through a third recorder or signal-receiving device 14. With this arrangement, the clockwork when released re- -volves the two make-and-break wheels (1 the 'WheellO transmltting a. signal which is received by the recorders 11 and 12 through a circuit traceable from battery 13 through the upper limb of the line,-'the pen 2', wheel 10 box. frame and lower limb of the line back to the battery. -At the same time the wheel 9, intermittently closing a ground circuit from groundthrough bindin post 4, pen .3,

wheel 9, the-box frame, lower imb of the line, lower half of the battery and the recorder 14 togr'ou'nd, causes-recorder .14 to 'receivea' si nal. When the clockwork has run compl tely down, the portion 6 of the s iring 3 is pressed against the contact 7, there y keeping the line circuit and the apparatus insuch condition that prompt and immediate attention will necessarilybe given the box. -In other words, the grounded signaling circuit will remain charged or closed until the proper attention is given the apparatus.

Nowwith respect to'the operation of the means by which the watchman cannot possibly send a signal which would be con fused or mistaken for a fire-alarm: It will be seen that when the spring-shaft is rotated in 'a clockwise direction to the limit of'its rotation in this manner, the end-portion 0, shdes over and past the raised contact surface of the contact a; and that the clockwork,

'make-and-break device, the springs and wheels are thereby short-circuited, and, consequently, the remainder of the rotation of the two wheels is not accompanied by makeand-break action affecting registers 11 and 12 in the line-circuits.- The short circuit thus established may be traced from battery 13 through the upper limb of the line, bind ing post 1 to contact a, arm a the box frame binding post 5, and lower limb of the I line back to battery. Consequently wheel 10 can not transmit a signal at all and wheel 9 can transmit only to the recorder 14Yby the circuit-heretofore described, but the failure to transmit the full signal torecorders 11 and 12 clearly distinguishes such signal from a fire signal. Thus, the relatively small 'teeth 16 of the two wheels really constitute the means ifor producing the fire-alarm upon registers 11 and 12, and when the distinctive make-and-break action produced :by these teeth is omitted from the signal as a whole, it would be easily understood that the signal is not for fire; and this, it will be seen, is true, regardless of the number of times the, watch- -man operated the spring-shaft, or f pulled,

the box as it is called. Preferably, the springshaft rotates, say, about four-sixths'of a complete rotation, thereby producing four complete rotations on the part of the two make-and-break wheels. Thus, it is obvious the signaling action produced by the relaand 12. But when. the clockwork is released from its normal conditionthat is to say, the condition in which it is illustrated, it is also obvious that the other three complete rotations of the make-and-break wheels will be accompanied by the transmission of a signal in which both the relatively coarse and relatively small teeth of the wheels are employed; and, as'stated, it is the peculiar or distinctively'- signaling action produced by the relatively small teeth at the latter part of each rotation of the make-and-break wheels which really constitutes the firealarm signal. Consequently, the attendant at the central station can always readily recognize a watchmans signal, and can also easily, and without fail, recognize a firealarm signal by the peculiar and distinctive signaling action produced by the relatively small teeth immediately after or following tively coarse or large'teeth.

What I claim as my invention'is:

1 A box for transmitting signals comprising normally wound-up clock work, and means for re easing said clock work comprising a rotary and axially movable p'art, operatively associated with the clock work torelease said clock work by either rotary or axial movement.

' 2. A box for transmitting signals comprising a normally wound clock work and means for releasing said clock work comprising a rotary and axially movable handle adapted and arranged by axial movement to once release the clock work and by rotarylmovement to again release said clock Work.

3, A box for transmitting signals com rising a normally wound clock work, 'n means therefor, normally maintaining sai clock work inactive, and adapted by movement of a part thereof to abnormal position to condition the clock work for activity, and a handle susceptible of successive automatic and manual actuation, arranged when automatically actuated to move the said part of the locking means to abnormal position and permit its return to normal position and when manually actuated to again move the saidpart of-the locking means to'abnorinal osition.

4. A box for transmitting signa s com rising a clockwork normally wound, and a apte'd when fully released to transmit an alarm, a handle mounted for two distinct mowements of different direction, and means for full releasing said clockwork associated wit the handle for control thereby, and functionally o erable onl by manipulation of the handle t rough bot its distinct movements.

'5. A box for transmitting signals, comprising normally wound-up clockwork, a

ockin lever for locking the clockwork in its norma ly wound-up condition, a rotar and axially movable member provided wit two I of said depressions, a

I rotary 6. A box for transmitting signals, comprising normally wound-up clockwork, a contact-wheel provided with. a flange having a notch, a locking lever providedwith an arm engaging the escapement device of said clockwork, and provided with another arm engaging said notch, a spring acting to hold said arm in engagement wit-h said notch, a and axially movable member provided with two depressions and having also an-inclined surface between the said depressions, the locking lever'normally engaging one of said depressions, end of said member, and aspring tending normally to force said member against said glass-plate, whereby the glass when broken permits saidnnember to release the clock- 1 work and thereby rotate said contact wheel Y produces a partial until the arm again. engages said notch, and whereby said clockwork may then again be released by partial rotation of said member.

7. Abox for transmitting signals, comtary and axially movable handle, means whereby an axial movement of said handle unwinding of said. clockwork, and means whereby a rotation. of said handle their produces a further and comprising nori'nally wound-up clockwork, a 1'0- plete unwinding of said clockwork.

' 8. A'box fortransmitting signals, com-.1 'prlsing normally wound-up clockwork, a

locking device for maintaining said clockwork in its normally wound-up condition, the springs of said clockwork made in sections, and a pivoted member having one end engaging said locking means and the o her end in position to be engaged by a broken springsection, whereby the clockwork is releaseduponthe breaking of a spring section; and there being also a make a glass plate engaging one 1 and break device 1 1 operated by the clockwork, and a hand-op- I erated device for-manually releasing the nori mally wound-up clockwork, when it is dei sired to transmit an alarm signal.

9. A transmitter conrrising a springdriven'clockwork, releasa le means for normally maintaining said clockwork spring in a partially wound condition, subject to further winding, and means for automatically re-' leasing the-clockwork to permit return of. its spring to normal condition when fully wound.

1Q. A box for transmitting signals comprising normally wound clockwork, a suitl two or more i down of'the clockwork, a suitable circuit for short circuiting the-make and break device during'a portion of one only of its rounds. i 11 A box for transmittin 'signalscomprising normally-wound 0100 work, a suit- 1 twoor more rounds during the running down of the clockwork, suitable circuit connections for said make and break device, means for conditioning the clock-work to make one round for one signal and two or more rounds l for a fire signal, and means for short cirouitingthe make and break deviceduring a portion of its first round only.

.12. A box to transmit signals, comprising normally and artially wound-up clockwork, a locking evice for'stopping and maintaining the clockwork in its normal condition, a tripping device for automatically releasing the clockwork upon a complete winding up l of the same, a make-and-bre'ak device adapted to be operated by the clockwork to transmit a signal, means for rendering the make- 1 and-break device inoperative to produce a i signaling action for a portion of its operation k when the clockwork is released by said tripping device. l Signed by me at Chicago, Cook'county, Illinois, this 1st day-of March, 1904.

JAMES G. NOLEN.

Witnesses: I

SEvERINUs B. CHABOWSKI, WM. A. IIARnERs.

able make and breakdevice adapted to make frounds during the running said make and break device, and means for able make and break device adapted to make 

